Former Pocono Mountain Charter School Principal Jeffrey McCreary tried to smuggle payroll records from the school and had to be escorted off the property by constables Monday, according to the school's operations manager.

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By HOWARD FRANK

poconorecord.com

By HOWARD FRANK

Posted Apr. 16, 2013 at 12:01 AM

By HOWARD FRANK

Posted Apr. 16, 2013 at 12:01 AM

» Social News

Former Pocono Mountain Charter School Principal Jeffrey McCreary tried to smuggle payroll records from the school and had to be escorted off the property by constables Monday, according to the school's operations manager.

The incident marks the latest escalation in tensions between factions in the K-12 school, which has a $4 million budget funded by taxpayers.

School board President Lisa Bansa called on four Pennsylvania state constables Sunday to prevent McCreary from entering the school, following a court ruling last week that returned the one-time principal's supporters to the school's board of trustees.

McCreary was fired as the school's principal late last month after losing his legal fight to retain his principal's certification.

McCreary lost his certification after pleading guilty to misdemeanor theft charges in connection with accusations that he stole almost $90,000 from a Scranton School District administrator fund while working as a principal there.

The constables reported to the charter school Monday morning, just to maintain order, according to Operations Manager Razie Howie. The constables had a letter from the school's attorney prohibiting McCreary from entering school property.

Two constables were stationed at the school's front entrance and one each at the school's back entrance.

"McCreary entered through the rear of the building at 8 a.m. I saw him walk in. I was walking in the hallway," Howie said.

Howie said he told McCreary: "You have to go to the front. The constables have something for you."

Howie said McCreary headed toward the front but then went into his old office. Howie went up front to get the constables. Two followed him back into the former principal's office.

One of the constables served him with a letter signed by school lawyer Daniel Fennick barring McCreary from the school.

"(McCreary) proceeded to go into a drawer and remove papers. Papers in a specially marked envelope for payroll. I told the constables he wasn't allowed to remove any papers," Howie said.

McCreary refused to comply, said they were his and he was going to take them with him no matter what, according to Howie.

"He was getting agitated," Howie said. "He was raising his voice, his face was getting red. When he said he was going to take them anyway, I said, 'I can see the payroll envelope you have.'

"The constable again told McCreary he must leave the papers. McCreary still refused. Then a third time, the constable said authoritatively, 'You are not leaving with those papers.'"

McCreary complied, saying he did, in fact, have the payroll information, took out a payroll packet with all the employees' salaries and threw it down on the desk, according to Howie's account.

The constables' cars were all parked at the front of the school. Howie believes that's why McCreary entered from the rear.

"He never comes in the back entrance, so I believe that's when he came in the back — to remove papers," Howie said.

McCreary denied Howie's characterization of the events.

"There's just no truth in that whatsoever. There's a lot going on, and things will get settled," McCreary said.

He then referred the Pocono Record to the school's communications office.

Two opposing groups within the school board have fought over control of the school. The three members reinstated by the board tried hiring McCreary as the director of operations to avert the license deficiency and supported paying indicted school founder the Rev. Dennis Bloom's $77,000 tax bill from school accounts.

Bloom has been charged by the federal government with tax fraud, although it's unclear what — if any — connection the tax case might have to the charter school.